Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Shiki out to strut her stuff ahead of Millions tilt
Shiki (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has been on everyone’s lips as attention builds towards the $3 million R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast. However, she set the benchmark for fillies right from the outset of the season, displaying speed and toughness to win the G3 Gimcrack Stakes on debut in early October.
Following a short break, Shiki has dominated at the trials, winning twice, including a near five-length demolition at the Kensington trials in early December over 850 metres.
Saturday’s 2-year-old set-weights contest at Randwick looks an ideal stepping stone towards richer prizes. As the only raced runner in the field - and a Group winner carrying the minimum weight - she appears beautifully placed.
“She has been a natural from the outset, we’ve seen that in her trials and her race,’’ co-trainer Adrian Bott told racingnsw.
“She has an abundance of natural speed, she showed that last prep and she’s showed every bit of it again this time back through.
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“It’s a small field but there’s always plenty of quality types coming through this time of year.
“It does help that she’s had a run and a campaign and had two nice trials so she looks on track for the Magics.”
“It does help that she’s (Shiki) had a run and a campaign and had two nice trials so she looks on track for the Magics.” - Adrian Bott
Her runaway Kensington trial win earlier this month suggested the exciting filly had taken another step forward following her break.
“There’s been some improvement off what we’ve seen from her last prep,’’ he said.
“She’s matured well and looks a lot better in her coat and overall condition. I’d like to think she is a more mature filly and having that benefit of race experience helps in that regard as well.
Shiki (blue cap), winner of the G3 Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We’ve given ourselves room for another run just thinking there’s nice improvement to come off this race and she may need another one so we’ve got the room to do that.”
Her toughest rivals on Saturday may be the Sword Of State colt Warwoven, trained by Bjorn Baker, who carries the Ridgmont colours and comes from a stable/owner combination enjoying a strong run with its 2-year-olds, and the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Norman’s Cay (Too Darn Hot{GB}), who impressed winning a Kensington trial over 850 metres on December 9.
Grafterburners set to light up Eagle Farm
The Kelly Schweida-trained Grafterburners (Graff) was an impressive juvenile last season, winning his maiden at Ipswich before claiming the $500,000 QTIS Jewel at the Gold Coast. He also placed in the G2 Champagne Classic and finished fourth in the R. Listed Millennium at Randwick.
He has gone to another level as a 3-year-old, with wins over 1200 metres at both Eagle Farm and Doomben, and everything has gone to plan for Schweida and connections this week in particular.
Firstly, boom colt Cool Archie (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}) was ruled out of Saturday’s $200,000 Gold Edition Plate at Eagle Farm, where he was likely to run favourite. Secondly, Grafterburners has this week secured the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott owned slot in the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight 3-year-old on the Gold Coast on January 10.
“From my perspective, I would prefer to have Cool Archie out of the race on Saturday, I think he's a very good horse,” Schweida told racenet.com.
“He was Queensland's best 2-year-old.
“Mind you, my horse is a good horse too. All his runs at 1200 (metres) have been really good.
Kelly Schweida | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“When he got out to 1400 (metres) and 1600 (metres) during the winter carnival, his runs were below what I had expected from him.
“But he had been in work a long time and whether he was tired and cranky, I don't know. I think the sprint trips are probably best for him, his father (Graff) didn't win past 1300 (metres).”
Success is far from guaranteed on Saturday though, with Prestar (Zoustar), trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, held in high regard. Damien (Hellbent) was narrowly defeated by Grafterburners last start, while maiden Sylph (I Am Invincible) is a talented filly, who was Listed-placed at her most recent run and must be respected as a rough chance.
Can Unit Five deliver and become a Millions contender?
A promising 2-year-old who has caught the eye at Cranbourne jump-outs in recent times is the Ciaron Maher-trained Unit Five (Supido). He makes his debut on Saturday and a strong performance in Saturday’s $250,000 Magic Millions Victorian 2YO Classic on the Caulfield Heath, could see him put his hand up for further lucrative targets on the Gold Coast.
Ciaron Maher Racing’s Assistant Trainer Jack Turnbull said the youngster has impressed the stable, although ideally he would have preferred a little more time between his jump-out win and his debut.
“He's unbeaten in his jump-outs and he's physically the type that can head to the races off a short turnaround,” Turnbull told racingandsports.
“It's never ideal and you would like to go 12 days in a perfect world, but there's no written rule.
“The race has come up fairly light, and we look one of the better ones from the trials, along with Guest House, going into it.”
Jack Turnbull | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Unit Five won his first jump-out at Cranbourne last month with Ethan Brown aboard, while Thomas Stockdale took the ride on Monday. Stockdale has since been booked for Saturday’s race.
“We instructed Tom to get a feel and not get to the bottom of him with the view of running him on Saturday,” Turnbull said.
“He's bounced through the run. He's a spritely, outgoing type of horse, and he's been like that since the jump-out.”
“He's (Unit Five) bounced through the (trial) run. He's a spritely, outgoing type of horse, and he's been like that since the jump-out.” - Jack Turnbull
Turnbull confirmed there is potential for Unit Five to head north should he perform well.
“He could potentially head north, but everything would have to fall into place. So, he could run Saturday, or the following Saturday, and then if you run top two you are pretty much qualified and then you can look north.”
Unit Five is bred to be sharp. His dam En Aval (Toorak Toff) is a half-sister to the dam of Listed-winning juvenile Bellazaine (Zoustar), while his grandam En Amont (NZ) (Elnadim {USA}) is a half-sister to Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt), a Group 2 winner and the dam of talented 3-year-old filly My Gladiola (I Am Invincible). My Gladiola has won at Group 3 and Listed level and placed in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes during the Spring.
Unit Five as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
En Amont is also a half-sister to the dam of Doubtland, winner of the G2 Danehill Stakes and G3 Kindergarten Stakes, and now a young sire standing at Widden Victoria.
The race looks an even contest outside of Unit Five, the hardest to beat for the Supido colt could be the Mark Walker-trained Kiss Me In Paris (Capitalist), who has impressed at the jump-outs, while the Liam Birchley-trained Gold Czech (Prague) is an intriguing runner making the trip south from the Sunshine Coast.
Lara Antipova: a new star for Russian Revolution?
Newgate Stud stallion Russian Revolution has been in fine form of late, recently siring his second Group 1 winner when Libertad claimed the G1 Winterbottom Stakes for trainers Rob and Annabel Neasham just a matter of weeks ago.
The next potential star by the stallion could be the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained 2-year-old Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution), who heads into Saturday’s G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham following a dominant eight-length victory at Te Aroha earlier this month.
She will again be partnered by last season’s Champion New Zealand jockey Craig Grylls, who rode her in that Te Aroha win. Interestingly, the partnership has had its challenges, as co-trainer Sam Bergerson explained.
“Early on, she could get a bit cantankerous and she broke his finger, and he had to have a little stint on the sideline,” Bergerson told Loveracing.
“We had jump-outs here at home and she bucked him off and his finger got caught in the rein, it was pretty nasty.”
Sam Bergerson | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Raced by John Galvin’s Fortuna, Lara Antipova bolted in from a prominent position at Te Aroha and, from her wide barrier at Trentham, should be able to work forward down the dog-leg straight.
“It’s a step up for her on Saturday and she has to travel, but she has come through her first run really well and her work has been good,” Bergerson said.
“She’s ticking the boxes so far and it’s a really good opportunity for her to get black type so early in her career.”
As is often the case with early-season 2-year-old Group races, the contest is strong. Of the eight runners, half are unbeaten, including Australian-breds Lassified (Stay Inside), trained by Andrew Forsman, and I Am Belle (I Am Invincible) from the Andrew Carston stable. The roughie could be the Johno Benner-trained Ardrossan filly Butler Cabin (NZ), who ran a close-up third on debut at Otaki and looks an improving type.
Plaintiff taking the steps needed to eventually hit black-type
While it may only be a $160,000 Benchmark 72 Handicap for 3-year-olds at Randwick on Saturday, it presents another opportunity for the unbeaten Plaintiff (Zoustar) to extend her record to three wins and further press her claims for future black-type success.
The beautifully bred filly is owned by John Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds and was purchased for $2.3 million by James Harron Bloodstock at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
She is out of the talented Beneteau mare Prompt Response, a six-time winner whose résumé included victories in the G1 Tattersalls Tiara, G2 Emancipation Stakes, G2 Breeders’ Classic, G2 Dane Ripper Stakes and the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes.
Sadly, Plaintiff was Prompt Response’s final foal, with the mare passing away earlier this year. Despite her untimely death, Prompt Response has proven a star producer in the sales ring, with all of her progeny offered through Widden Stud.
Plaintiff | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Her first foal, Big Demeanor (I Am Invincible), sold for $500,000 to Annabel Neasham and Brian McGuire at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Sister Cynane (I Am Invincible) followed, selling for $1.3 million to Wexford Stables at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, before Plaintiff topped them all at $2.3 million.
Trainer Peter Snowden is keen to build the filly’s record steadily, allowing her to learn her craft through the grades before setting her more ambitious targets.
“It’s her first preparation and she had a long time out with things holding her up,’’ he explained to Racing NSW.
“She’s in at the wrong time, she’s going to be going out when she should be coming in. But I want to educate her as well, she has a bit to learn.
Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She improved from her first run to her second and with one more run she might get it a bit more complete because from here it gets harder.
“She’s done a good job, the couple of starts she’s had, she’s won well. It’s hard to win a maiden and go straight to 72s and she did that and showed a bit more grit as well.”
“She’s (Plaintiff) done a good job, the couple of starts she’s had, she’s won well. It’s hard to win a maiden and go straight to 72s and she did that and showed a bit more grit as well.” - Peter Snowden
Plaintiff has drawn awkwardly, something jockey Chad Schofield will need to overcome.
“I would have liked to draw a bit better but she has gate speed and that’s a big plus,’’ he said.
“Her work was really good on Tuesday, she’s getting better and stronger all the time in the stable so I can only see a positive run from her.”
Among her biggest challenges are stakes-placed Too Darn Hot (GB) colt Ripley, Sanctified (NZ) (Super Seth) - who finished just over half a length behind Plaintiff last start and the Godolphin-owned Jaegers (Bivouac), who comes straight out of maiden grade but appears a talented type.
